Episode 24 (3rd March 1961)
Plot Annie finalises the details for the wedding with the arrangements for the meal and flowers sorted. Jack worries about the growing cost and wants to know the numbers attending. Elsie has time off work to look over No.9 for Linda. She persuades Dennis to take her into his work's pool syndicate as she doesn't understand how to fill in a coupon on her own, even though Dennis thinks it'll mean dividing the prize between too many people. Dr Graham gives Albert a medical check. He tells him to take it easy for a day or two. Annie discovers sixty people are going to the wedding - twenty-five of their family and thirty-five of the Davies's. She decides they'll have to invite more people, including family members she doesn't like or talk to. Joan and Gordon return from buying her going-away outfit and Billy has fits of laughter at her hat. Gordon remembers two more family members from his side he wants invited. Dr Graham suggests Albert moves in with Beattie. He refuses as he'd feel lost moving away from Coronation Street. Christine tells Esther the news about the proposed demolition. She refuses to believe it until something official happens. Esther's upset as she had to tell a girl at work that her fiancé had been killed in a road accident that morning. She remembers her own similar loss when she was eighteen. Christine tells her about her row with Joe. Jack introduces the teetotal Gordon to drink with various spirits. Billy realises he's deliberately trying to get him drunk. Esther tells Christine not to let go of Joe. He calls on her and they make up. Vera Lomax asks Ena to look after her troublesome son Colin for her tomorrow. Gordon is still stone-cold sober while Jack is drunk, much to Annie's annoyance. Cast Regular cast *Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie *Annie Walker - Doris Speed *Billy Walker - Kenneth Farrington *Elsie Tanner - Patricia Phoenix *Dennis Tanner - Philip Lowrie *Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth *Christine Hardman - Christine Hargreaves *Esther Hayes - Daphne Oxenford *Ena Sharples - Violet Carson *Martha Longhurst - Lynne Carol *Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant Guest cast *Joan Walker - June Barry *Gordon Davies - Cavan Malone *Dr Graham - Fulton Mackay *Joe Makinson - Brian Rawlinson Places *Rovers Return Inn - Public/Snug *1 Coronation Street - Back room *5 Coronation Street - Back room *11 Coronation Street - Back room Notes *Albert Tatlock says he has a cat called Smudgie but it is rarely referred to again. He also refers to Beattie Pearson's two sons who are similarly forgotten afterwards. *This episode marks the writing debut of John Finch, one of the most prolific contributors of the 1960s and a later producer of the programme who then went on to have a large number of popular drama successes in British television with series such as A Family at War, Sam, The Year, Next Year and The Spoils of War, all for Granada Television. *This episode was the final Friday transmission of the programme until 25th December 1987 as regular scheduling of the programme moved to Mondays and Wednesdays from the following week onwards when ATV joined in transmission of the show which was fully networked for the first time. At the end of this episode, prior to the credits rolling, the caption "Next Episode - Monday - 7.30pm" was displayed, but there was also a voice-over announcement along with it which explained: "Please make a special note that Coronation Street will be on Mondays and Wednesdays from now on, and at half past seven instead of seven o'clock. So the next episode will be this coming Monday at half past seven." *''TV Times'': No synopsis appeared in the magazine between Episode 3 (16th December 1960) and Episode 25 (6th March 1961). *Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 5,178,000 homes (chart placing unknown). Episode 024